Mobile web

ABSTRACT

A system and method of interfacing includes a mobile web information exchange device. Information about a user is recorded on a mobile web recording medium. Information terminals are provided at locations which receive the mobile web recording medium. Information is stored on the Internet or terminals relating to the specific location. The mobile web recording medium, such as any media storage device, is connected to the terminals. A control is provided, either on the storage media or in the terminals for the interaction of the mobile web recording medium with the terminals. Thus information is exchanged by supplying the information about the user to the terminal and by recording selective information data from the terminal and/or Internet to the mobile web recording medium. Such exchange may be effected by inputting commands with a mouse or keyboard or touch screen connected to the terminals. The media storage device is then removed from the terminal and used at as many terminals as desired. The mobile web communicates information between workstations and users. Workstations may include open houses, learning centers, conventions/shows, gyms, and the like, and users may respectively be realtors, students, attendees, exercisers, and the like.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/839,977, filed Apr. 24, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,194,992, issued Feb. 27,2001, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No.60/016,136, filed Apr. 24, 1996.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a novel way to develop and view a record of anindividual's transactions using a Mobile Web. The invention is a datastorage device that allows one to have a database of all the informationgathered at different sites as well as for service providers to have adatabase of interested participants, and/or their activities either viathe internet or through other communication channels includingconferences, exhibitions, and other events.

With the advent of the internet and teleconferencing along with numerousexhibitions, it is difficult for the organizers and participants ofshows to keep track of the attendees as well as difficult for thoseattendees to keep track of all the information gathered at those sites.There is therefore a need for a device that can be easily carried alongby attendees and by organizers for keeping track of each other and forexchanging information and constantly updating information on interestedparticipants.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention addresses that problem by providing a Mobile Web.The Mobile Web is similar to the World Wide Web which is accessibleusing a browser such as Netscape, except this Mobile Web need not relyon hosts or network access to retrieve pages of information (i.e., Webpages). This Mobile Web is even accessible without necessarily havingany network-access (e.g., the Internet). All the information andnavigational links are stored on any media storage device, such as apersonal electronic recordable medium.

In a preferred embodiment, the mobile web ID system has a portableidentification memory device with user's identification data stored inthe memory device. Storage reader-writers at exhibitor locations havinga memory storage for storing exhibitor information about the exhibitorsare provided. Memory device slots in the reader-writers temporarilyreceive the portable memory devices with reading heads adjacent theslots reading the identification data into the storage and writing headsadjacent the slots writing stored exhibitor information in the portableidentification memory device.

Preferably, the reader-writer is a computer and the memory storage is acomputer. The portable identification memory device may preferably be a3.5″ floppy disk, a PCMCIA or PC Card, a smart card, a Flash card, aZipDisk, a Floptical disk, a swipe card of the like.

In the preferred embodiments, a conventional information exchange systemhas an exhibitor's station having a programmable computer with a programfor automatically receiving and storing information from a user'sidentification data storage medium and for writing on that data storagemedium information about the exhibitor and its products from a hard diskstorage in the computer or from the Internet under control of the useraccording to the user's selection of menus on a screen on the computervia devices such as a keyboard, touch screen, or mouse connected to thecomputer. The user's identifying data is provided on the data storagemedium such as identification data including the user's name, title,organization and addresses.

Preferably, a data storage device may be provided at plural locationseach having a computer with a memory for storing and providinginformation data, a screen for displaying menus, a keyboard, touchscreen, or a mouse for entering selections from the menu. A control isstored either on the user carried device or on the data storage device.The data storage device received the user carried device and aninterface in the data storage device receives and writes theidentification data from the user carried device into the memory underdirection of the control. Thus, the exhibitor information data from thememory is provided to the user carried device under direction of thecontrol and the user's inputs on the input device.

In the preferred embodiments, the user carried device includes acomplementary user's interface and the exhibitor station computerinterface comprises an interface for communicating data with the user'scomplementary interface by radio, infrared or wire. The control providesthe exhibitor with a complete record of identification of users whovisited the exhibitor's booth.

The data storage device is provided at exhibitor booths at a show orconvention; or at manufacturing plants, where the information datacomprises information about machines in the plants, and the user is anemployee, such as a manager, checking on the machines by exchanginginformation about the machines via the user carried device. The datastorage device may be provided at learning stations, and the user beinga student exchanging information with the learning stations via the usercarried device. The data storage device may be provided at home salessites, and the user being a realtor exchanging information with thesites via the user carried device. The data storage device may beprovided at gyms, with the user being an exerciser exchanginginformation with equipment in the gyms via the user carried device.

A preferred method of information exchange includes providing a mobileweb recording medium to a user, recording information about the user onthe mobile web recording medium, providing information terminals atlocations for receiving the mobile web recording medium, storinginformation data on the terminals, communicating the mobile webrecording medium with the terminals, providing a control for enablingthe communicating of the mobile web recording medium with the terminals,exchanging information by supplying the information about the user tothe terminal and by recording selective information data from or throughthe terminal to the mobile web recording medium by providing commands byinputting means, terminating communication of the mobile web recordingmedium with the terminal, and if desired repeating the above steps at adifferent terminal. Preferably, the terminals are computers. Inputtingmeans may be a house, a keyboard, a touch screen, or the like attachedto the terminals and the mobile web recording medium may be a floppydisk.

Preferably, the control is provided on the mobile web recording mediumor the terminals as a batch of executable commands, scripts, orprograms.

These and further and other objects and features of the invention areapparent in the disclosure, which includes the above and ongoing writtenspecification, with the claims and the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an attendee flow chart showing the operating or the invention.

FIG. 2 is an example of a web page print of a Mobile Web (MW) Home Pagescreen.

FIG. 3 shows the HTML code which generates the frame structure for FIG.2.

FIG. 4 shows the HTML code dynamically updated at which exhibitorstation.

FIG. 5 shows part of the HTML code gathered from an exhibitor withoff-line and on-line navigational links and data.

FIG. 6 an example web page print of a Mobile Web page with the HTML codeincluded as described in FIG. 5 for a particular exhibitor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

The invention may be in the form of diskettes or other data storagedevices. Data stored includes, but is not limited to, text files, Webpages, scripting code (e.g., Java), video clips (e.g., Quicktime or MPEGmovies), audio clips, and any other forms of data readable or accessiblethrough a Web browser.

Exemplary applications of this invention include (but are not limitedto):

1. The record of an individual's visits to a sequence of exhibitor(i.e., vendor) booths at a trade show wherein that individual performs adata exchange transfer of information with various exhibitors using acomputer readable/writable medium such as a floppy disk (e.g., an IDiskwhich is an Identification Disk and/or an Information Disk) which hecarries with him. The information exchange transfers the individual'sname and other of his relevant contact information to the exhibitor'scomputer (e.g., laptop) and/or certain items of the exhibitor'sinformation may be selected manually or automatically to be transferredto his IDisk.

2. The record of an individual's (such as a manager or foreman) touramong a sequence of machines (stations) at a manufacturing plant whereinthat individual exchanges information with these machines using acomputer readable/writable medium such as a floppy disk (e.g., an IDiskwhich is an Identification Disk and/or an Information Disk) which hecarries with him. The information exchange transfers the individual'sname and other of his relevant contact information to the machine'scomputer (e.g., imbedded or attached digital device) and certain piecesof the machine's status information (e.g., backlog of work, throughput,operating parameters, temperature, throughput, etc.) may be selected bythe individual to be transferred back to his IDisk.

3. The record of a student's tour through an ‘automated school’ whereinthat student exchanges information with various learning stations usinga computer readable/writable medium such as a floppy disk (e.g., anIDisk which is an Identification Disk and/or Information Disk) which hecarries with him. The information exchange transfers the student's name,duration of visit at this station, and other of his relevant contactinformation to the learning station's computer and certain informationat the learning station may be selected by the student to be transferredback to his IDisk.

4. The record of a real-estate agent's travels through a tour of openhouses wherein that agent exchanges information with computers at theopen houses using a computer readable/writable medium such as a floppydisk (e.g., an IDISK which is an Identification Disk and/or InformationDisk) which he carries with him. The information exchange transfers theagent's name and other of his relevant contact information to the openhouse computer (e.g., laptop) and certain pieces of information aboutthe open house may be selected by the agent to be transferred to hisIDisk.

5. The record of an exerciser's workout on various pieces of gymequipment wherein that individual exchanges information with theequipment, computer, and/or kiosk at the gym using a machinereadable/writable medium such as a floppy disk (e.g., an IDisk which isan Identification Disk and/or Information Disk) which he carries withhim. The information exchange transfers the exerciser's profile such asname, weight, height, workout history, health limitations, etc. to beused by each piece of equipment. Information from the equipment (such asreps. weight, time and calories burned) is manually entered orautomatically transferred to his IDisk for later retrieval and/oranalysis.

The Mobile Web is also able to link in with information stored onto theIDisk through systems other than the exhibitor booths (which aredetailed below), message center or a documentation sales center, etc.For example, messages retrieved at the message center are stored ontothe IDisk and linked in as part of the Mobile Web.

The IDisk initially contains a Mobile Web Home Page (the MW Home Page)from which booths visited and information gathered is accessed. Inessence, this home page on the IDisk is dynamically modified as theattendee updates information on the IDisk.

The attendee collects information from each visited exhibitor byinserting his IDisk into the exhibitor's laptop computer. The laptopcontains software plus exhibitor-specific information which the attendeeselects to be loaded onto his IDisk. This information is placed onto theIDisk in such a way as to dynamically create a Mobile Web or MW, (i.e.,a set of Web pages or various links between them). This dynamic creationof the MW is based upon the attendee's actions, namely:

-   -   a) which booths are visited    -   b) what data he selects from the exhibitor

The MW creation is also based upon the attendee's preferences, such askeywords that he has loaded onto his IDisk; based on these preferences,the system automatically loads exhibitor information that is relevant tothese key words. The actions that are taken in creation of the MW are:

Selected data (selected either explicitly by the attendee via optionsshown on the exhibitor's computer screen, or implicitly, via key wordrelevancy) is copied from the computer onto the IDisk.

Links among the collected pages are created on the IDisk.

All the information collected at a particular booth is dynamicallyupdated on the IDisk which is accessed from the Web page contents and/orcreated specific to that exhibitor. Each exhibitor's Web page is linkednot only up to the Mobile Web Home Page but also down to each individualpiece of data collected onto the IDisk from that exhibitor. Otherdynamic links may link to data not stored on the IDisk itself but thatexist on the World Wide Web which can be accessed through theappropriate Universal Resource Locator (URL). All the Mobile Webinformation stored on the IDisk is retrieved through a Web Browser.

After the show, the attendee may then view the data he has collected ona computer as follows:

1. The IDisk is inserted into the computer's floppy drive;

2. As an option, the user may choose to copy the IDisk contents directlyto his hard drive;

3. An application on the IDisk (or its image on the hard disk) isstarted. This is done as follows:

1) First activate the ability to browse the Mobile Web by:

-   -   a) In its simplest form, from the file manager, (e.g. Windows        File Manager, Explorer, Apple Finder, etc.) the user views the        drive in which the IDisk was inserted (probably “A:”). The user        then loads the file “INDEX.HTM”. This will load the Web Browser        and the Mobile Web Home Page.    -   b) In a more sophisticated fashion, the user load the their Web        Browser. (Note: The user does not have to be connected to the        Internet in order to use the IDisk; ignore any error messages        from the Web Browser at this point.)

Under the “File” menu option, the user selects “Open File” to load thefile “INDEX.HTM” from the IDisk.

2) Secondly the collected data on the IDisk may then be read as follows:

-   -   i) Off-line: Without a network connection to the (World Wide        Web), the user uses all the functionality built into the browser        to view his collected data which was created at the trade show        in Web-readable form. The user interface is identical to that of        a Web page. The selected data from the exhibitor looks just like        a Web page produced by the exhibitor. All links are active        (click on a menu item which was copied from the exhibitor's        computer and the user jumps to a page which displays the text or        graphics that he had copied at the show). The user navigates,        copies, etc., in all the usual ways as when on-line except the        user is off-line from the WWW.    -   ii) On-line: If the user's computer is connected on-line to the        World Wide Web, then the functionality in part (3b) is enhanced        with the ability to click on exhibitor icons or other hyperlinks        that were also created by the MW software at the trade show.        These exhibitor icon links are now active and once selected, the        user is linked through the WWW to the exhibitor's home page. Of        course the user has the full availability of the WWW as well as        MW Web access to the data he collected at the show. When the        user is on-line, information from the WWW may appear        automatically on the attendees Mobile Web pages.

In addition to the above:

1. All information from all trade show exhibitors (plus all or partialmaterial from any related components of the event such as technicalconference proceedings, etc.) may be prepackaged on some storage medium(CD ROM, Magnetic disk, etc.) in MW format so that it is viewed asdescribed earlier. The user “visits” booths of his choice to create hispersonal IDisk as well as any time before, during or after the show.

2. On the World Wide Web there may be a dynamic Web Mall (VirtualExhibition) that acts as a continuing trade show and/or conference withthe attendees “visiting” the mail on the Web in the same way he would atthe physical trade show. That is, he downloads from the Web to his localdisk the data he wanted to use to create a MW of his visit trail to themall, and updates the visits over time. Indeed, he may have agents inthe background that continually update these selected entries as theythemselves were updated on the exhibitor's home pages. Moreover, theagent based keyword searching of this mall generates entries for his MW.

FIG. 1 shows an Attendee Flow Chart briefly summarizing the process ofthe invention.

FIG. 2 shows a Web page print (generated by the Web browser Netscape) asan example of the MW Home Page screen that an attendee sees when the Webor MW browser is started up.

FIG. 2 shows a web page print (generated by the Web browser Nets cape)as an example of the MW Home Page screen that an attendee sees when theWeb or MW browser is started up. The top left corner of the screencontains the name of the attendee who this MW Home Page has beencustomized for along with a link to the MW Home Page by clicking on theIDisk icon. The top right box on the screen displays sponsorshipinformation which can be accessed by clicking on the information in thatbox. The bottom left fox provides links to a complete list of exhibitingcompanies and links to their web pages. In this box is also a list ofcompanies that the attendee visited at the show which can be selected bythe attendee to load that exhibitor's MW page. The bottom right box onthe screen displays general show information and links to subsequentpages of information and web pages.

FIG. 3 shows an HTML coded file (INDEX.HTM) which determines the framestructure for the MW home page illustrated in FIG. 2. This file isinitially created when the IDisk is prepared for the attendee's use at ashow.

FIG. 4 shows an HTML coded file (VINDEX.HTM) which is initially createdwhen the IDisk is prepared for the attendee's use at a show. This fileis dynamically updated as the attendee (owner of the IDisk on which thisfile is stored) moves from booth to booth. This file contains a link tothat exhibitor's MW page. This file generates the lower left boxillustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 shows an HTML coded file (AMC.HTM) which is dynamically createdat the exhibitor station when an attendee selected the information to beloaded onto the IDisk. This file contains navigation links generated bythe control program along with links and data content from theexhibitor's station. The first page of code illustrated here producesthe lower right corner of the box shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example set of exhibitor information (in thisexample with Ampro Computers) collected from the exhibitor. As anexample to the content of the exhibitor information collected, at thetop of the page is the company name and link to that company's homepage. Below that is an index to collected information. By selecting anindex, that particular item is then displayed on the screen. At the topof each section is a link to return “Back To Top” to get back to theinitial index.

While the invention has been described with reference to specificembodiments, modifications and variations of the invention may beconstructed without departing from the scope of the invention, which isdefined in the following claims.

1. A method for organizing electronic information on a hand-heldportable electronic device, the method comprising: storing a HyperTextMarkup Language (HTML) compliant home page on the hand-held portableelectronic device, the home page accessible using a HTML enabled webbrowser; coupling the portable electronic device to a computer;receiving at the portable electronic device electronic informationincluding a source identifier and related data from the computer;storing the electronic information on the portable electronic device;and dynamically linking the stored electronic information on theportable electronic device to the home page on the nortable electronicdevice for subsequent access of the stored electronic information on theportable electronic device using a HTML enabled web browser, wherein theaccess to the stored electronic information on the portable electronicdevice by the HTML enabled web browser is independent of a connectionbetween the portable electronic device and an Internet Web server. 2.The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receiving electronicinformation comprises: storing at least one key word on the portableelectronic device; and transferring information associated with the atleast one key word to the portable electronic device.
 3. The method ofclaim 2 wherein the step of transferring comprises automaticallytransferring the information associated with the at least one key word.4. The method of claim 2 further comprising: presenting informationassociated with the at least one key word to a user for selection,wherein the step of transferring transfers only user selectedinformation.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of dynamicallylinking comprises: adding the source identifier to the home page; andlinking the data to the source identifier.
 6. The method of claim 1wherein the source identifier comprises a graphic.
 7. The method ofclaim 1 wherein the source identifier comprises a hyperlink to a homepage accessible via a computer network.
 8. The method of claim 1 whereinthe source identifier comprises a hyperlink to a home page accessiblevia the internet.
 9. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of receivingelectronic information comprises receiving HTML information.
 10. Themethod of claim 1 further comprising: accessing the home page, sourceidentifier, and the related data using a web browser.
 11. The method ofclaim 10 wherein the related data includes at least one link to awebsite accessible via the internet, the method further comprisingaccessing the website using a web browser.
 12. The method of claim 1further comprising transferring identification information from thehand-held portable electronic device to a computer.
 13. A method fororganizing electronic information on a portable electronic device, themethod comprising: storing a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) complianthome page on the portable electronic device, the home page beingaccessible using a HTML enabled web browser; accessing and temporarilystoring the home page using a reader for the portable electronic device;modifying the temporarily stored home page to dynamically linkadditional information to the temporarily stored home page; transferringthe modified home page to the portable electronic device; and storingthe modified home page on the portable electronic device for subsequentaccess to the additional information via a HTML enabled web browser,wherein the access to the stored modified home page on the portableelectronic device by the HTML enabled web browser is independent of aconnection between the portable electronic device and an Internet Webserver.
 14. The method of claim 13 further comprising storing useridentification information on the portable electronic device.
 15. Themethod of claim 14 further comprising retrieving the user identificationinformation each time the step of accessing is performed.
 16. The methodof claim 13 further comprising automatically selecting the additionalinformation to dynamically link to the home page.
 17. The method ofclaim 16 wherein the step of automatically selecting comprisesautomatically selecting the additional information based on key wordsstored on the portable electronic device.
 18. The method of claim 13further comprising: displaying available additional information forselection by a user, wherein the step of modifying comprises modifyingthe temporarily stored home page to link additional information selectedby the user.
 19. A computer readable storage medium having datarepresenting instructions executable by a computer for organizingelectronic information on a portable electronic device, the computerreadable storage medium comprising: instructions for accessing andtemporarily storing a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) compliant homepage stored on a portable electronic device; instructions for modifyingthe temporarily stored home page to dynamically link additionalinformation to the temporarily stored home page; and instructions fortransferring the modified home page to the portable electronic devicefor subsequent access to the modified home page and to the additionalinformation via a HTML enabled web browser, wherein the access to themodified home page on the portable electronic device by the HTML enabledweb browser is independent of a connection between the portableelectronic device and an Internet Web server.
 20. The computer readablestorage medium of claim 19 further comprising instructions forretrieving user identification information stored on the portableelectronic device.
 21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19further comprising instructions for automatically selecting theadditional information to dynamically link to the home page.
 22. Thecomputer readable storage medium of claim 21 wherein the instructionsfor automatically selecting comprise instructions for automaticallyselecting the additional information based on key words stored on theportable electronic device.
 23. The computer readable storage medium ofclaim 22 further comprising: instructions for retrieving useridentification information stored on the portable electronic device; andinstructions for associating the user identification information withthe key words.
 24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19further comprising: instructions for displaying available additionalinformation for selection by a user, wherein the instructions formodifying comprise instructions for modifying the temporarily storedhome page to link additional information selected by the user.